Welcome to the Virtual Home of the Virtual Person - Larry Linux
Welcome
to my home on the internet. This is simply a
place to post my thoughts and opinions.
This is also a place
to post my
latest
digital photography and some of my favorite quotes.
Located
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recent entry.
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My
Most Recent Entry
"Home Sweet Home"
As Hurricane Gustav
closed in on the Gulf Coast this weekend, I took time to reflect
on my life's journey so far. Much of my early years were spent living
near the ocean. I too have spent long nights wondering what path the
approaching monster would take. I have sat in shelters listening to the
winds howl and wondering if the roof would hold. I have also spent many
hours waiting in the traffic created by thousands of people evacuating.
But even after all of this, I could not imagine living "inland" away
from the sand and sea.
That was until about twenty years
ago when I finished my time in the military. It was then that I moved
to my newly adopted home in the Carolinas. My new stomping grounds were
far from the ocean that I had grown up near and always been stationed
close to while on active duty. Even though the initial adjustment
wasn't easy, I found myself really enjoying the slower pace of life in
the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Since settling down in my new home, I have learned
new terminologies like "holler" and "pole cat" along with a constant
smattering of "you all" of course. My friends and family have even
begun to notice an accent when I tell them I am "fixin" to go to the
store. I have discovered new foods, like grits and tomatoes sandwiches,
not to mention my new life's blood - sweet tea. I fell in love with the
mountains and the folk lore that surrounded them. I even started
listening to a little blue grass music now and then.
But
most of all, I have learned to love and respect my new neighbors.
Unlike many of us who have moved many times to many places in our
lifetimes, many of them have lived in this peaceful setting for
generations. Some would falsely think that this would create a very
closed and unfriendly society. Thankfully, as I have come to know first hand, the exact opposite is true.
I have found a people willing to accept you for who you are, if
you are willing to accept them as they are.
Now it is true
that they "don't care how you did it up north" and they will likely kid
you a little about being a yankee, but that is to be expected. For this
is their home which they are graciously sharing with me. They have
shown me a simpler way of life, far from the madness of the exploding
coastal communities I used to call home. I no longer worry about the
next big storm, now my only weather concern is plenty of rain water for
my garden.
By the way yankee, we don't have an accent - you all do!
LL
Posted:
09/01/08
"Play Chess, Not War."